Where the Mountain Meets the Moon & Chinese Mythology

 

According to Chinese mythology, the god Pangu cracked the egg he was sleeping in, and this caused the big bang. The egg contained yin and yang, the two halves, which then separated. Yang, the lighter, rose up to create the sky, while Yin, the darker, formed the earth. Pangu held both in place with his hands and feet.

The greatest creature in Chinese mythology is the dragon. The dragon is a long, winged, snake-like creature with four legs, each with long and dangerous claws. Dragons were thought to have power over water and the weather. The dragon was the symbol of the emperor. His throne was even called the Dragon Throne. It is said that the Yellow Emperor turned into a dragon and flew to heaven when he died.

The Chinese zodiac is said to have been set when the Jade Emperor announced a race for the animals to compete for the twelve places in the zodiac. The rat forgot to wake up the cat, her neighbor, and went to the starting line. The rat rode on the ox through the whole race, jumping off just in time to run ahead and place first. He was followed by the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Because she was not woken up, the cat missed the race and a chance at the place in the zodiac. This is why she hates the rat.

The legend of the Old Man in the Moon - the matchmaker - says that he ties the feet of young men and women with red cords for marriage.  They believe that marriages are made on the moon, and tie red cords to a tree to pray to the Old Man in the Moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

One sad love story tells of the weaver girl Zhinü, daughter of a goddess, and the cowherd Niulang. They fell in love, married, and had children. When the goddess found out about them, she was displeased and banished them to different sides of the Milky Way. Once a year, magpies form a bridge between the two lovers so they can visit. The day is celebrated as China’s Valentine’s Day.  You can see this acted out in Karate Kid.

Our spine read for this unit is Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Access the complete unit study in the World Mythology Unit Studies Bundle!

Includes sixteen unit studies covering world mythologies. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning ancient through modern history.

• Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.
• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

Product sample:  Percy Jackson & Greek Mythology

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!